The Government remains committed to ending the use in England of the three neonicotinoid pesticides (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid) that threaten vital pollinators, including through emergency authorisations.

Acetamiprid does not pose the same risk to pollinators and is authorised for use on sugar beet and other crops both in Great Britain and the European Union. The Health and Safety Executive recently approved an emergency authorisation for a second spray - only when specific conditions are met - due to the exceptionally high pressure from aphids being faced by sugar beet farmers this year.

This Government is committed to preventing the use of three neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten vital pollinators.

This Government has already taken decisive action. In December 2024, Defra set out plans to change policies to prevent use of neonicotinoid pesticides (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid) that threaten vital pollinators. In September 2025, the Health and Safety Executive published updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides.

This Government has already taken decisive action on neonicotinoids: it set out plans to change existing policies to prevent the use of three neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten vital pollinators, including through emergency authorisations, in our policy statement of 21 December 2024. The Health and Safety Executive published updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides on 11 September 2025. Negotiations are underway on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU; any further action can be considered once the new pesticides regulatory framework for Great Britain is agreed.

We regularly meet the devolved governments, including the Scottish government, to discuss pesticide use.

This Government remains committed to ending the use in England of the three neonicotinoid pesticides (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid) that threaten vital pollinators, including through emergency authorisations.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have published updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides. This update clarifies and strengthens the existing guidance to ensure that future emergency authorisations take full account of the risks that pesticides may pose.

Negotiations are also underway on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU. Any further action, such as potential legislative options, can be considered once the new pesticides regulatory framework for Great Britain is agreed.

This government remains committed to ending the use in England of the three neonicotinoid pesticides (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid) that threaten vital pollinators, including through emergency authorisations.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides. This update clarifies and strengthens the existing guidance to ensure that future emergency authorisations take full account of the risks that pesticides may pose including to pollinators.

Negotiations are also underway on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU. Any further action, such as potential legislative options, can be considered once the new pesticides regulatory framework for Great Britain is agreed.

This Government remains committed to ending the use in England of the three neonicotinoid pesticides (thiamethoxam, clothianidin, imidacloprid) that threaten vital pollinators, including through emergency authorisations.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published updated guidance for emergency authorisations of pesticides. This update clarifies and strengthens the existing guidance to ensure that future emergency authorisations take full account of the risks that pesticides may pose including to pollinators.

Negotiations are also underway on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU. Any further action, such as potential legislative options, can be considered once the new pesticides regulatory framework for Great Britain is agreed.

The new guidance applies to emergency authorisation applications for all pesticides, not just neonicotinoids. When considering applications, the possible adverse effects of the pesticide are weighed against the potential benefits of its use. Applicants must provide clear evidence on the benefits of pesticide use and the potential risks to people, animals and the environment if authorisation is granted.

The guidance states that the decision-maker may seek independent advice on scientific aspects of applications for emergency authorisation. A key source of advice is the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides, which provides independent scientific advice on the regulation of pesticides.

As set out in December’s neonicotinoid policy statement, Defra will identify and assess legislative options to prevent future use of three neonicotinoid pesticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) that are not authorised due to the threat they pose to pollinators.

Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – have not been authorised for general use as pesticides since 2018 because of the risks they pose to pollinators.

An application for emergency use of the neonicotinoid pesticide Cruiser SB, containing thiamethoxam, on sugar beet in England in 2025 was not approved.

Both during our election campaign and while in office, this Government has given a commitment to end emergency authorisations for these three pesticides. The next steps towards delivering this commitment were set out in a published policy statement and in a written statement to Parliament on 6 January.

Parasiticides play an important role in the protecting of animal health from fleas, ticks, and vector-borne diseases, and in protecting human health from zoonotic transfer of disease. Therefore, their regulation requires a careful balance between effective parasite control for animal health and welfare and human health whilst minimising potential risks to the environment.

To address environmental safety, every veterinary pharmaceutical undergoes an environmental exposure assessment, with products for companion animals usually ending in a phase 1 assessment. If exposure is deemed high, a more detailed Phase II risk assessment is conducted, evaluating potential environmental impact based on expected exposure and toxicity. The findings from these assessments are considered as part of the final benefit/risk assessment during the approval process. There are also warnings that accompany products advising on use and to mitigate against dogs entering water courses directly after treatment. Environmental assessments are conducted in accordance with international guidelines and data standards.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is conducting a number of research activities to provide further evidence on environmental impacts and causes. Furthermore, the VMD supports a review of the international environmental risk assessment guidelines for companion animal parasiticides, which has been proposed and is currently under consideration by the body for International Cooperation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH).

Parasiticides play an important role in the protecting of animal health from fleas, ticks, and vector-borne diseases, and in protecting human health from zoonotic transfer of disease. Therefore, their regulation requires a careful balance between effective parasite control for animal health and welfare and human health whilst minimising potential risks to the environment.

To address environmental safety, every veterinary pharmaceutical undergoes an environmental exposure assessment, with products for companion animals usually ending in a phase 1 assessment. If exposure is deemed high, a more detailed Phase II risk assessment is conducted, evaluating potential environmental impact based on expected exposure and toxicity. The findings from these assessments are considered as part of the final benefit/risk assessment during the approval process. There are also warnings that accompany products advising on use and to mitigate against dogs entering water courses directly after treatment. Environmental assessments are conducted in accordance with international guidelines and data standards.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is conducting a number of research activities to provide further evidence on environmental impacts and causes. Furthermore, the VMD supports a review of the international environmental risk assessment guidelines for companion animal parasiticides, which has been proposed and is currently under consideration by the body for International Cooperation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH).

This Government is clear that we will change existing policies to end the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten bees and other vital pollinators.

Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – are not permitted for general use because of the risks they pose to pollinators. However, emergency authorisations were granted by the previous Government for the use of the thiamethoxam-containing pesticide Cruiser SB to treat sugar beet seed in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Environmental monitoring activities were undertaken as a condition of the emergency authorisations for the use of Cruiser SB granted by the previous administration, alongside government-funded monitoring projects. The results of this monitoring work can be found within the HSE’s emergency registration reports, published on GOV.UK.

This year I rejected the application for an emergency authorisation to use Cruiser SB on sugar beet in England. I did not take this decision lightly, considering expert advice from the Health and Safety Executive and Expert Committee on Pesticides, the Defra Chief Scientific Adviser and Defra economists. In making my decision, I recognised that the potential adverse effects to bees and other pollinators could not be excluded if the Cruiser SB authorisation were to be granted.

In December last year we published a policy statement outlining our intention to end the use of these neonicotinoid pesticides for good. We will update the guidance that sets out the approach to decisions on applications for emergency authorisations to take full account of the importance of pollinators. Further, we will identify legislative options to prevent future use of emergency authorisations for products containing clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, which are extremely toxic to pollinators.

Decisions on emergency authorisation applications must be taken in line with legal requirements. In making these decisions, Ministers take full account of the available evidence and expert advice, including on risks to pollinating insects.

The Government will honour its manifesto commitment on this topic.

Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – have not been authorised for general use since 2018. It has remained possible to consider short-term emergency authorisations for particular uses, and emergency authorisation for use on sugar beet was granted each year from 2021 to 2024.

This Government is committed to restoring and protecting nature, including pollinator species such as bees and butterflies. We have given a commitment to end these emergency authorisations and the next steps towards delivering that commitment were set out in a published policy statement and in a written statement to Parliament made on 6 January.

There is clear and abundant evidence that neonicotinoids are harmful to species other than those they are intended to control, and particularly to insect pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Given the complex range of threats faced by pollinators, it is not possible to quantify the benefit of turning the current restrictions on the three neonicotinoids into a complete ban.